That debate had a big effect on me. I have big questions as to who I'm going to vote for. Bush's inability to articulate thoughts has led me to question my vote. Sure its late in the game, but something about his behavior and performance in that debate finally affected me. I'll probably still vote for the guy who I think has the best ideology.

Bush articulated fairly well for the first half of the debate, but seemed to run out of steam after that. He also seemed to be unwilling to go very negative on Kerry.
I think they'll change their tact in the next debate. Kerry has opened the door WIDE OPEN for someone to rip his foreign policy. Notice how the Kerry campaign is suddenly trying to get off foreign policy as fast as they can, hoping the impression voters have from the debate (nice hair! nice enunciation! nice posture!) will last, and they can shift focus to populist issues like health care and tax the rich, before Kerry's ludicrous statements on Iraq sink him.
Anybody else read the AP interview of the former Iraqi colonel who is one of the leaders of the insurgents in Fallujah? Basically he was gloating about the anti-war statemnets from Kerry and how they have helped the insurgents morale and recruitment. That is bad, bad, bad.

Big Will, Maybe the opportunistic Carl Rove found himself an Iraqi colonel. How's that for conspiracy theory. I thought Bush did well as long as he stuck to the script. He's a genuinely good communicator as long as he doesn't have to put much thought into what's coming out of his mouth. His ability to think on his feet appears questionable. I know it's "hard work" to think on your feet.

Coincidentally, there is a Stephen Hayes article at weeklystandard.com on the al- Qaeda links with Hussein. Internal Iraqi documents use the word "relationship". This was also disclosed in the NY Times. Bin Laden merely talking to a man such as Hussein is enough for me. Also of note in the article:

"According to the 9/11 report, "sources reported that one, or perhaps both, of these meetings was apparently arranged through bin Laden's Egyptian deputy, [Ayman al] Zawahiri, who had ties of his own to the Iraqis."

Most importantly, the idea that a secular Hussein and fanatical bin Laden could not have a relationship because of this difference, bears an assumption that has been proven unworthy. Hussein has had relations in the past with religious fanatics.